Add dates

Highclere Castle

Highclere Castle: Our most recommended tours and activities

Downton Abbey and Village Small Group Tour from London

1. Downton Abbey and Village Small Group Tour from London

Become Lord or Lady Grantham for the day, as you visit the film locations used in the BAFTA award-winning Downton Abbey period drama. Hear how the global hit TV series was made and about the actors involved and the wonderful history of the places you visit on this full-day tour. You’ll depart central London in the morning on a drive to the charming Oxfordshire village that has been featured in the series as Downton village. Enjoy a guided tour of locations such as Downton Hospital, the village pub, the former home of Matthew Crawley, and the local church.  Take a short comfort break before continuing on to Highclere Castle, which is the main setting used in Downton Abbey. En route you’ll learn about the thousand-year history of Highclere Castle and life above and below the stairs. Lunch can be purchased at Highclere Castle or you can bring your own lunch and enjoy it on the beautiful grounds. Although guided tours are not allowed inside the castle, you’ll be able to explore the above-stairs area of Downton Abbey independently with the aid of a self-guided information sheet. Imagine life as it was over 100 years ago and enter the world of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants as you wander around the estate. The tour ends in central London.

London: Downton Abbey, Cotswolds, and Highclere Castle Tour

2. London: Downton Abbey, Cotswolds, and Highclere Castle Tour

Set off on a scenic day trip from London and see some of the highlights of the Cotswolds. Visit filming locations from the show Downton Abbey, discover Highclere Castle, and admire the picturesque countryside in the region on this guided tour. Head to the Cotswolds countryside and visit some of the filming sites of Downton Abbey. Your first stop is Cogges Manor Farm located on the banks of the River Windrush. Learn of the farm’s role in Downton Abbey as Yew Tree Farm where Lady Edith's daughter Marigold was raised by the Drewe family. Visit the kitchens and Mr. Drewe’s living room, see the farmyard where many scenes were filmed, and watch a unique and special video about the farm's role in the popular television series. After a coffee break, continue on to the delightful village of Shilton, famous for its shallow ford and used in series two to double as the village of Swinbrook. It was here that Lady Sybil and Tom Branson spent the night on their aborted elopement. Head to Bampton to see St Mary's Church, the scene of so many weddings and a funeral or two. During your guided walk, take in sites of interest including the cottage hospital, Mrs. Crawley's house, the village green, the post office, Mrs. Patmore’s bed and breakfast, and The Grantham Arms pub. Next, make your way southwards from the Cotswolds to the chalk down land of Hampshire, home to magnificent Highclere Castle, known to many as Lord Grantham's family seat, Downton Abbey itself. Discover familiar locations both inside the castle and out. See where O’Brien tripped up Bates, where Kemal Pamuk’s body was moved, and the dining room where delicious dialogue was served up with decadent food. Visit Robert Crawley’s library and the various bedrooms, and walk down the grand staircase. Enjoy lunch in one of the many restaurants here, before heading into the beautiful grounds. In the basement, there is a special Egyptology exhibition, thanks to the 5th Earl of Carnarvon and his excavations in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. Spend around three hours in Highclere Castle and its grounds before returning back to London.

From London: Downton Abbey and Village Coach Tour

3. From London: Downton Abbey and Village Coach Tour

Step into the hit TV series Downton Abbey on this full-day bus tour from London. Visit filming locations from the show like the village of Bampton which was used for the village of Downton and Highclere Castle which was used as Downton Abbey.  Journey by comfortable air-conditioned coach towards the village of Bampton in Oxfordshire. Listen to an informative commentary about Downton Abbey and the locations you will visit along the way. Arrive in Bampton and take a guided walking tour of the village to see locations from the TV series, such as the post office and the house where Matthew Crawley lived before he moved to the abbey.  Continue to Highclere Castle for 3 hours of free time to explore the house and grounds of the setting for Downton Abbey at your own pace. Find your way around with ease using a helpful leaflet. Have plenty of time to purchase a delicious lunch at the castle or shop for some souvenirs at the gift shop.

London: Downton Abbey Countryside Black Taxi VIP Tour

4. London: Downton Abbey Countryside Black Taxi VIP Tour

Begin with a pickup from your central London hotel and a drive through London and out into the Oxfordshire countryside. Your first stop will be in Oxfordshire, where you will visit the villages that became the village of Downton. Have photographs outside Matthew Crawley’s house, and see the Hospital, the village church, and the two village pubs. and Have time to buy Downton souvenirs before moving on. Leaving the villages behind you, start to head cross country to Highclere Castle. On the way to the castle, take an authentic countryside pause, stopping for lunch at an old English pub. Arrive at Highclere Castle after lunch, where your tour continues. Your expert guide will explain all there is about the castle’s history as well as the Downton locations you will see before you enter the rooms.

From Oxford: Downton Abbey and the Cotswolds Full-Day Tour

5. From Oxford: Downton Abbey and the Cotswolds Full-Day Tour

Leaving the beautiful medieval city of Oxford, head south to Highclere Castle for a morning visit of the home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. Immerse yourself in the history of this 19th century castle, still very much a family home, and explore the grounds and beautiful gardens. Imagine sitting at the grand table in the family dining room with the 'Dowager' Violet, Lady Mary and Lady Cora, being served your lunch by Mr. Carson. After the visit to Highclere Castle, your tour continues to quaint Bampton, one of the oldest villages in Britain. Wander around the part of the village used to film Downton Abbey and visit St Mary's Church, where so many events in the life of the Crawley family took place. From Bampton, a scenic drive takes you to the charming old market town of Burford, the 'gateway to the Cotswolds,' with its sloping high street and quaint shops. Enjoy lunch in a typical local cafe or pub. After lunch, go on a panoramic drive through some of the sleepy stone villages of the Cotswolds. Make your last stop in the idyllic village of Swinbrook, which was a film location for 'Downton Abbey' and 'Bridget Jones' Baby.' Delight in a walk through this charming village, before returning to Oxford.

Other Sightseeing Options in Highclere Castle

Want to discover all there is to do in Highclere Castle? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Highclere Castle

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 344 reviews

This was a well organized and lovely excursion. Logistically: instructions for meeting location spot on, departed and returned on schedule, stopped mid-way through bathe drive for a “bio break”, comfortable & clean coach, and very informative. Both the tour guide and driver were friendly and helpful people. The village tour was a lot of fun and we had plenty of time. Our guide, Emma, provided a lot of information about the locations used for filming and a bit of history. We also had plenty of time allotted to tour inside and wander the grounds (which I was expecting and they were spectacular). I would recommend this excursion and your company. I had a really nice day.

Our Downton Abbey Tour was one of the highlights of our trip to England. Small group tours are the way to go! Our tour guide was friendly and informative and the other people on our tour were lovely. Cogges Farm was surprisingly interesting and our visit to the town of Bampton brought back memories of many key scenes in the Downton series. Highclere Castle was delightful. We loved walking through the same rooms inhabited by our favorite characters and descending the beautiful main staircase. We ate lunch outside and strolled through the beautiful gardens. It was a beautiful, memorable day.

This was the absolute best tour we did on our trip to London. Amber was a wonderful guide and kept the group informed and on time throughout the day. We saw many locations used in the filming of Downton Abbey; in addition to Highclere Castle which was the highlight of the day. There was some downtime at the castle where we enjoyed a snack and the gin cocktail bar. The bus ride was fun as well, with Amber involving the group in trivia challenges, etc. We highly recommend this tour.

The day was excellent, great sceneries and the Cotswolds are a gift! Unfortunately, we had to wait 45 minutes to be picked up in the morning. There was a misunderstanding somewhere along the way... I booked with Get Your Guide but the tour was offered by International Friends. There was a disconnect and without calling the tour guide 3x, we would still be waiting...

It was an amazing tour and our tour guide, Debbie Gerrans, was fabulous!